The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-01-09
Juvenile Games.

''What shall we play frstl7 Oh, some funny
game that will brighten our wits little and put
us into shape for more hilarious fun The game
is Farm yard" and you must all sit in a nice
row while aunte goes about and gives you each
name. One will be the COW. another the sheen.
another the house dog. the little duck the old
hen. and SO on through long list of all the liv-
ing things that inhabit farm yard. Then the
best story teller in the crowd begins delightful
yarn about 'Once upon a time an old beggar
came up to farm-yard and found the house dog
sitting in the yard" Then the person who hap
pens to be the ''house-dog' for the time being
must bark. The story must be woven so as to
make mention Of all the animals named and at
each mention of its name the rooster must crow.
the sheep bleat, and each one make the noise pc
cular to his kind. If you forget your part and
bark like the dog when you should bray like the
donkey, do any other wrong thing you must
pay forfeit which must afterward be re-
deemed
But 'tFarm-yard' becomes tiresome sitter
while. and you then play ''NIistletoe
Blndnan's Buff" which is very nice game,
especially if there are lots of pretty cousins pres
ent. You must all stand in circle, and get
counted out in some Of the old rhymes like
this:
As went up the appletree
All the apples fell me;
Bake pudding bake pie;
Did you ever tell lie!
One two, three spells out goes she.
Or, if you don't like the rather naughty word
in that verse, you may use this for counting
out:
Ana mana, dickory dock
The mouse UP the eightday clock;
Hare, ware from whack;
Alice, ballilco. we, wo, why, crack.
One, two three, out goes she.
This isn't quite so personal, but just as good
The last person left in the circle is 1T" and
must have her eyes bound with a pretty new
handkerchief. and led underneath the piece of
mistletoe bough suspended from the central
chandelier, and after some one turns her about
three times and sings out
Can you pick up needles:
Can you pick up pinsa
All, mol Then the fun beg gins
She puts out ner hands and tries to hunt some
one. Every time she gets under the mistletoe
bough the youth nearest is entitled to kiss her.
and he may kiss any other girl in the room
whom he catches under the mistletoe. II she
tells who it is who is so audacious, then the
bandage is removed, and the kisser becomes the
blind man.
OF course the girls wouldn't kiss the boys, so
it is arranged that when the boy catches the
girl, if he tell who she is he may kiss her;
if not. he must again try his chances. 1t takes
quite long time to tire of "Mistletoe Blind
man" but the girls don't care to have too much
of it, and SO they cry enough"
Oh You want some quiet game, now; you're
try your intelligence at playing ''Hodgepodge
Romance" The person at one end begins
thrilling romance, anything he chooses, and
after he reaches thrilling climax he may stop.
and the next person must take up the story and
go This is great fun, if everyone is not too
bashful to try and if some can take it down
and read it over afterward, it is all the greater
fun. Then if you are still tired, and want
another quiet game, play Christmas Poetry"